• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.61 no.1
• /
• pp.10-18
• /
• 2018

Objective : To investigates the effect of curcumin on proliferation of spinal cord neural stem/progenitor cells (SC-NSPCs) and functional outcome in a rat spinal cord injury (SCI) model. Methods : Sixty adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly and blindly allocated into three groups (sham control group; curcumin treated group after SCI; vehicle treated group after SCI). Functional recovery was evaluated by the Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan (BBB) scale during 6 weeks after SCI. The expression of SC-NSPC proliferation and astrogliosis were analyzed by nestin/Bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) and Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) staining. The injured spinal cord was then examined histologically, including quantification of cavitation. Results : The BBB score of the SCI-curcumin group was better than that of SCI-vehicle group up to 14 days (p<0.05). The coimmunoreactivity of nestin/BrdU in the SCI-curcumin group was much higher than that of the SCI-vehicle group 1 week after surgery (p<0.05). The GFAP immunoreactivity of the SCI-curcumin group was remarkably lower than that of the SCI-vehicle group 4 weeks after surgery (p<0.05). The lesion cavity was significantly reduced in the curcumin group as compared to the control group (p<0.05). Conclusion : These results indicate that curcumin could increase the expression of SC-NSPCs, and reduce the activity of reactive astrogliosis and lesion cavity. Consequently curcumin could improve the functional recovery after SCI via SC-NSPC properties.

• Progress in Medical Physics
• /
• v.13 no.4
• /
• pp.218-223
• /
• 2002

Stereotactic radiosurgery for intracranial lesion is well established since the Lars Leksell first introduced radiosurgery concept in 1951 Its use in the treatment of spinal lesion has been limited by the availability of effective immobilization devices. The first clinical experience of the spinal stereotactic radiosurgery technique was reported by Hamilton AJ. in 1995. Recently, Optic-guided patient positioning technique for extracranial stereotactic radiosurgery was developed and reported. This study is for assess the target positioning accuracy of the optic guided patient positioning system Exactrac (BrainLab., Inc, Germany). We have designed phantom for assess the accuracy of spinal stereotactic radiosurgery The infrared reflective body markers attached to the relatively immobile part of the body and a series of 2 mm CT images was taken. The image sets were transferred to the planning computer. During the radiosurgery treatment, we measure the real-time display showing the positioning values from Exactrac computer. And we compare the isocenter deviation from irradiated center point of the film which was mounted on the lesion site of the phantom and pin hole site of that film. The accuracy of the ExacTrac system in positioning a target point shows enough for the clinical applications.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• /
• v.6 no.2
• /
• pp.166-172
• /
• 2002

Purpose : To evaluate the usefulness of diffusion-weighted imaging(DWI) and quantitative apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps in the patients with spinal cord infarction. Materials and methods : We studied 6 patients presented symptoms with spinal cord infarction, retrospectively (3 men and 3 women). We obtained multi-shot echo planar-based, DWI using 1.5T MR scanner at 5.4 mean days after the onset of ischemic symptoms. In six patients, signal intensity was acquired at conventional b value $1000s/\textrm{mm}^2$). The ADC value for the normal spinal cord and for infarcted lesions was measured from the trace ADC maps by using regions of interest positioned over the spinal cord. We analyzed signal intensity of lesion on MRI and DWI, and compared with ADC values in infarcted lesions and normal site. Results : T1-weighted MR image showed isosignal intensity in four of six patients and low signal intensity in two of six. T2-weighted MR image demonstrated high signal intensity in all of six. All DWI were considered to be diagnostic. All of six depicted a bright signal intensity on DWI. ADC values of infarcted lesion were measured lower than that of normal spinal cord on ADC map. The differences in ADC values between infarcted and normal spinal cord were significantly different (p＜0.05). Conclusion : It is possible to obtain DWI and ADC map of the spinal cord and DWI may be useful in the early diagnosis and localization of lesion site in patients with spinal cord infarction.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.49 no.5
• /
• pp.302-304
• /
• 2011

Thoracic intramedullary schwannomas are rare spinal cord tumors. Most of these tumors have been reported as a single lesion in the spinal cord. The authors report the first case of intramedullary schwannoma accompanying by extramedullary beads-like daughter masses of the thoracic spine. A 68-year-old male presented with walking disturbance and decreased sensation below T10 dermatome. Imaging workup revealed an intramedullary mass at T6 and T7, T6 and T7 laminectomy and mass removal were performed. Intraoperatively, extramedullary beads-like daughter masses along the nerve roots adjacent to intramedullary mass were identified. Total removal of intramedullary lesion and partial resection of extramedullary masses were done. Histological analysis confirmed the diagnosis of schwannoma. The patient could ambulate independently at postoperative 1 month without any neurological sequelae. The authors experienced a surgical case of intramedullary schwannoma accompanying by extramedullary beads-like same pathologies in the thoracic spine.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.244-247
• /
• 2008

After a traumatic brachial plexus injury, 80% of patients develop severe pain in the deafferentated arm. This type of pain is considered very resistant to many forms of therapy. When we plan treatments for the patient who suffer from a pain from traumatic brachial plexus injury, clarifying the location of injured nerve is very important. EMG (electromyography), NCV (nerve conduction study), MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and CT (computed tomography) myelography are recommended diagnostic method for this purpose. Here, we presented a patient who was suspected to have both preganglionic and postganglionic brachial plexus lesion by EMG and NCV study, he showed favorable response after spinal cord stimulation.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.29 no.9
• /
• pp.1258-1261
• /
• 2000

Intraspinal neurenteric cyst is rare congenital lesion derived from disorder of notochord formation. Most of these are located ventral to the spinal cord and conventional posterior approach is considered to be effective method as initial treatment modality. This cyst can recur, but the risk of reccurence after partial removal through long term follow-up has not been determined. We experienced one case of cervical neurenteric cyst which recurred after partial removal through laminectomy. The magnetic resonance imaging and postmyelography computerized tomography revealed an intradural extramedullary cystic lesion anterior to the cervical cord at the fifth cervical vertebra level. We performed anterior cervical corpectomy and cyst was totally removed. The patient's neurological symptom was improved postoperatively. Neurenteric cyst located ventrally to the cervical spinal cord should be removed through anterior route for direct visualization of the relationship between the cyst wall and the spinal cord.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.51 no.4
• /
• pp.230-232
• /
• 2012

A 31-year-old man presented with acute onset of paraplegia. The patient's history was significant for thyroid carcinoma that had been treated 2 years earlier by thyroidectomy. A magnetic resonance imaging scan showed an enhancing intramedullary lesion at T7-8. Patient underwent surgical treatment and a tumor with hematoma was resected via posterior midline myelotomy. Postoperatively, the patient's motor weakness was improved to grade 3. The lesion showed typical histologic features consistent with papillary thyroid carcinoma. Early diagnosis and microsurgical resection can result in improvement in neurological deficits and quality of life of patients with an ISCM.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
• /
• v.20 no.4
• /
• pp.519-522
• /
• 2003

An appearance of herniated intervertebral disc into thoracolumbar vertebral canal was evaluated in two patients using computed tomography (CT). Before CT scanning, plain radiography and myelography were performed in both cases. CT images were compared to those of myelography. Dogs were positioned in sternal recumbency under inhalation anesthesia and transverse slices with 2 mm thickness were obtained around thoracolumbar region. The transverse CT images were examined using both vertebral and spiral window mode. The most common findings on CT images were loss of vertebral canal epidural fat, bulging of vertebral canal disc margins, displacement of spinal cord and flatted vertebral canal. Whereas, narrowed intervertebral disc space and simple extradural pattern were the main findings on plain and contrast radiographs. CT imges showed the extent of the herniated disc lesion, type II intervertebral disc hernation, and the displacement of spinal cord in detail in both occations. It is considered that degree and precise localization of the intervertebral disc herniation and subtle lesion of spinal cord could be identified accurately using computed tomography.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.48 no.6
• /
• pp.544-546
• /
• 2010

Paraplegia following spinal epidural anesthesia is extremely rare. Various lesions for neurologic complications have been documented in the literature. We report a 66-year-old female who developed paraplegia after left knee surgery for osteoarthritis under spinal epidural anesthesia. In the recovery room, paraplegia and numbness below T4 vertebra was checked. A magnetic resonance image (MRI) scan showed a spinal thoracic intradural extramedullary (IDEM) tumor. After extirpation of the tumor, the motor weakness improved to the grade of 3/5. If a neurologic deficit following spinal epidural anesthesia does not resolve, a MRI should be performed without delay to accurately diagnose the cause of the deficit and optimal treatment should be rendered for the causative lesion.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.49 no.4
• /
• pp.205-211
• /
• 2011

Objective : We investigated the neuroprotective effect of anthocyanin, oxygen radical scavenger extracted from raspberries, after traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) in rats. Methods : The animals were divided into two groups : the vehicle-treated group (control group, n=20) received an oral administration of normal saline via stomach intubation immediately after SCI, and the anthocyanin-treated group (AT group, n=20) received 400 mg/kg of cyanidin 3-O-${\beta}$-glucoside (C3G) in the same way. We compared the neurological functions, superoxide expressions and lesion volumes in two groups. Results : At 14 days after SCI, the AT group showed significant improvement of the BBB score by $16.7{\pm}3.4%$, platform hang by $40.0{\pm}9.1%$ and hind foot bar grab by $30.8{\pm}8.4%$ (p<0.05 in all outcomes). The degree of superoxide expression, represented by the ratio of red fluorescence intensity, was significantly lower in the AT group ($0.98{\pm}0.38$) than the control group ($1.34{\pm}0.24$) (p<0.05). The lesion volume in lesion periphery was $32.1{\pm}2.4\;{\mu}L$ in the control and $24.5{\pm}2.3\;{\mu}L$ in the AT group, respectively (p<0.05), and the motor neuron cell number of the anterior horn in lesion periphery was $8.3{\pm}5.1$ cells/HPF in the control and $13.4{\pm}6.3$ cells/HPF in the AT group, respectively (p<0.05). Conclusion : Anthocyanin seemed to reduce lesion volume and neuronal loss by its antioxidant effect and these resulted in improved functional recovery.